[adj] more than is needed, desired, or required; "trying to lose excess weight"; "found some extra change lying on the dresser"; "yet another book on heraldry might be thought redundant"; "skills made redundant by technological advance"; "sleeping in the spare room"; "supernumerary ornamentation"; "it was supererogatory of her to gloat"; "delete superfluous (or unnecessary) words"; "extra ribs as well as other supernumerary internal parts"; "surplus cheese distributed to the needy"

\Spare\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Spared}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Sparing}.] [AS. sparian, fr. sp[ae]r spare, sparing, saving;
akin to D. & G. sparen, OHG. spar?n, Icel. & Sw. spara, Dan.
spare See {Spare}, a.]
1. To use frugally or stintingly, as that which is scarce or
valuable; to retain or keep unused; to save. ``No cost
would he spare.'' --Chaucer.
[Thou] thy Father's dreadful thunder didst not
spare. --Milton.
He that hath knowledge, spareth his words. --Prov.
xvii. 27.
2. To keep to one's self; to forbear to impart or give.
Be pleased your plitics to spare. --Dryden.
Spare my sight the pain Of seeing what a world of
tears it costs you. --Dryden.
3. To preserve from danger or punishment; to forbear to
punish, injure, or harm; to show mercy to.
Spare us, good Lord. --Book of
Common Prayer.
Dim sadness did not spare That time celestial
visages. --Milton.
Man alone can whom he conquers spare. --Waller.
4. To save or gain, as by frugality; to reserve, as from some
occupation, use, or duty.
All the time he could spare from the necessary cares
of his weighty charge, he ?estowed on . . . serving
of God. --Knolles.
5. To deprive one's self of, as by being frugal; to do
without; to dispense with; to give up; to part with.
Where angry Jove did never spare One breath of kind
and temperate air. --Roscommon.
I could have better spared a better man. --Shak.
{To spare one's self}.
(a) To act with reserve. [Obs.]
Her thought that a lady should her spare.
--Chaucer.
(b) To save one's self labor, punishment, or blame.

\Spare\, v. i.
1. To be frugal; not to be profuse; to live frugally; to be
parsimonious.
I, who at some times spend, at others spare, Divided
between carelessness and care. --Pope.
2. To refrain from inflicting harm; to use mercy or
forbearance.
He will not spare in the day of vengeance. --Prov.
vi. 34.
3. To desist; to stop; to refrain. [Obs.] --Chaucer.

\Spare\, a. [Compar. {Sparer}; superl. {Sparest}; -- not
used in all the senses of the word.] [AS. sp[ae]r sparing.
Cf. {Spare}, v. t. ]
1. Scanty; not abundant or plentiful; as, a spare diet.
2. Sparing; frugal; parsimonious; chary.
He was spare, but discreet of speech. --Carew.
3. Being over and above what is necessary, or what must be
used or reserved; not wanted, or not used; superfluous;
as, I have no spare time.
If that no spare clothes he had to give. --Spenser.
4. Held in reserve, to be used in an emergency; as, a spare
anchor; a spare bed or room.
5. Lean; wanting flesh; meager; thin; gaunt.
O, give me the spare men, and spare me the great
ones. --Shak.
6. Slow. [Obs. or prov. Eng.] --Grose.

\Spare\, n.
1. The act of sparing; moderation; restraint. [Obs.]
Killing for sacrifice, without any spare. --Holland.
2. Parsimony; frugal use. [Obs.] --Bacon.
Poured out their plenty without spite or spare.
--Spenser.
3. An opening in a petticoat or gown; a placket. [Obs.]
4. That which has not been used or expended.
5. (Tenpins) The right of bowling again at a full set of
pins, after having knocked all the pins down in less than
three bowls. If all the pins are knocked down in one bowl
it is a double spare; in two bowls, a single spare.